Listen to your dog’s heart   The best place to hear a dog’s heart is on the left side where the elbow meets the chest.   A normal heart rate (figured in beats per minute) for a large dog is 70 to 100 bpm; medium dog hearts beat between 80-110; small dogs and puppies vary from 100-120.  It’s helpful to know what’s normal for your dog when he’s relaxed.

Find  your dog’s recovery time   Measure the heart rate before, during, and after runs.  It shouldn’t take longer than a minute or two to return to resting heart rate after a run.

Test your dog for heartworm   Mosquitoes transmit this blood parasite  from infected dogs to uninfected ones.  Although most common along the Eastern seaboard and the Delta regions, heartworm disease has been diagnosed in every state in the country.  A simple blood test can assure you that your dog doesn’t carry these worms.  Need to know more?  Check out www.heartwormsociety.org

Take a bite out of heart disease  Bad teeth harbor bacteria that can seep into the bloodstream and can set up colonies that cause disease in places like the heart valves and other important organs.  February is National Pet Dental Health month and many veterinary clinics offer discounted services on dental care now.  

Treat your dog right   Too many treats and not enough exercise can make  pets pudgy.  Good hearts have to work harder to circulate blood around all that extra weight.   Choose low calorie treats and reward your dog with your attention.  His heart will be happier.

Schedule annual check ups for your dog  I’m a vet.  Of course I’m going to tell you to do this!  If there’s a problem- the sooner we find out about it, the easier it can be to treat.

If your dog is a breed known for having heart problems- Boxers, Great Danes, King Charles Cavaliers, Dobermans, and Newfies, to name a few- make sure your veterinarian spends extra time listening to your dog’s heart.  It may be helpful to invest in getting baseline blood tests and ECG’s for  high risk breeds.

Get regular exercise!  It’s good for everybody and you’ll be ready to run with DogRunDog when a race comes to your area…

Wholeheartedly,

Liz Devitt, DVM

I have to admit that I fled the Northeast  and now appreciate year round outdoor activity in California.  I miss my family, but not the ten jillion layers of clothes required to play outside.

But I have lots of empathy when I see the national weather reports and I know our furry friends in cold places need to get outside and move- if only it wasn’t freezing.

What can a warm body do in cold weather?

Indoor dog parks

Dog parks can be fun, until the play gets rough and someone gets hurt.  So supervise your dog closely.  Make sure your dog is current on all vaccines because the more dogs you pet meets, the greater the chance of sharing infectious agents.

Dog day care

Many of these facilities have room for your dog to run.  Some even boast heated swimming pools.  The same precautions that you take at dog parks apply here, too.

Physical therapy and rehab centers

If you live near a metropolitan area, you might be able to schedule workout time for your healthy pup on one of their treadmills.

You could use your own treadmill, but many of these won’t accomodate the stride of bigger dogs. 

House Sprints

If your home has a good set of stairs or a long hall, then the game of chase-the-ball is on!  Make sure you have non-skid surfaces at the end of the hall, otherwise your dog could end up doing the splits and injure his inner thigh muscles.

Mind games

If you can’t arrange for physical activity, then give your pup something different to think about.  Teach him new tricks.  Get interactive dog toys.  Set up “hunting” games with his food.   Keep your dog’s brain busy and he’ll be less restless when he’s stuck indoors.

Don’t let the winter weather put the deep freeze your dog’s activity.   Keep your dog’s  body and brain active and it you’ll both feel better when Spring  arrives.

Empathetically,

Liz Devitt, DVM

Program these numbers into your phones:

(1) Your veterinarian’s office

(2) Your closest veterinary emergency clinic

(3) ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center
       1-888-426-4435

*They charge a $50 fee per case with no charge for follow up calls

Note: there is a human poison control center that has a toll free number and doesn’t charge for a telephone call, BUT animals are not people in fur clothes and there are many instances in which medications affect animals very differently than humans.

You don’t want to be rummaging through phone books or scrolling through websites when your dog jumps through a plate glass window or gobbles up the Motrin that fell on the floor.

Sometimes every second counts- don’t waste them: know where to find help BEFORE you need it.

I’m also a big fan of the American Red Cross. Many chapters have Pet First Aid & CPR courses. Take one. The more you know, the more you can help your pet if an accident happens.

Expect the best, prepare for the worst…and enjoy life with your dog.

Best,

Liz Devitt, DVM

If you’ve never had a chance to see his work, please visit www.dogmt.com.

Dog Mountain is where  Huneck and his wife created a magical place for dogs and people on their property in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.   Here,  he built Dog Chapel,  which he described as  “…A place where people can go and celebrate the spiritual bond they have with their dogs. It is the largest artwork of my life and my most personal.”

His talents included sculpting, wood carving, and writing:  each a venue for translating the soul of dogs into tangible art.

Words  seem inadequate when the gift of someone’s life can no longer be held with our hands.   Mr Huneck’s  work will hold the spirit of his love for dogs forever and every dog you see will be a memory.

 http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/herald/obituary.aspx?n=stephen-huneck&pid=138307286

With deep sympathy for Mr. Huneck’s family,

Liz Devitt, DVM

But I wonder if our dogs, who seem to hold us in such high esteem, might not lower their expectations for us if they knew that when the old year ends, their two-legged friends spend a great deal of time thinking of ways to change.

How would you explain these common New Year’s resolutions to your dogs?

You’re going to exercise more? Well…they’ve been waiting for you to grab the leash all along. ..

Improve your attitude?
Is that like “wag more & bark less” ?

Change jobs/find a job?
Only a Border collie would understand…and they think work IS play.

Eat less?
Hmmm…you’ll never get that by a Lab…
Better grab that leash…

Spend less money?
Describe money to a dog…it ends up sounding similar to bones and those are for eating or burying…

Spend more time with friends and family?
Ahhh, now you’re talking something your dog will understand.

Resolve to tell everyone you love that you love them, right now, while you can?
I can see the tails wagging.

That’s something to keep doing year after year. Why change?

Happy New Year everyone!

Liz Devitt, DVM

What can you do to defray the cost of good medicine?

Prevention really is the best policy.   Spend your time and money on annual exams for your pet and you’ll keep small problems from becoming big & expensive health issues.  Routine parasite prevention and vaccinating for your pet’s lifestyle will also optimize your pet’s health.   Find a veterinarian you trust and get guidance on creating a healthy life with your dog.  (Of course, at DogRunDog we think that includes running …)

Do you need pet insurance?    No question, it can ease the pain in your pocket if your dog gets hit by a car or your recently adopted mutt  decides to chew his way through his new life.   More than a dozen companies now offer pet care policies.  It’s even an employee benefit at some corporations.  Check out www.petinsurancereview.com to compare policies, prices, and options.

If your pet needs a prescription a few options can  bring down the price per pill.  

One possibility is a written prescription for an online pharmacy,  but buyer beware: check the the product and the  label to make sure you receive the right drug at the right dose.  

Price matching with online pharmacy products is offered by some veterinary clinics,  especially for  flea/tick/heartworm prevention medications.  When you get a product through your vet, the manufacturer  stands by their product if anything goes wrong (it doesn’t work as expected or your dog has a reaction).

Human pharmacies can  fill some pet prescriptions and you  get discounts for AAA memberships (yes! even on pet prescriptions).   Look up www.aaa.com/prescriptions for more information.  Walgreen’s has a family program that can include your pets: for a small membership fee you may save big.

When you’re watching your budget, every money saving strategy helps.  I hope these tips help you keep your pup healthy and active.  Run, dog, run!

Liz Devitt, DVM

A recently completed study,  called People and Pets Exercising Together,  has shown that exercising with your dog has several positive benefits at both ends of the leash. 

People trying to lose weight need a positive support system and- as anyone who’s ever run with a dog knows-  exercising with your pet  brings unique encouragement and fun not seen in other workout programs.

Owners  who want to lose weight can count on consistent prompting from their canine buddy to get outside and get moving.  The need for the dog to go outside is a positive influence, encouraging activity.   Most owners see their daily walks with the pet as enjoyable and less like exercise.

A separate Canadian study showed that dog owners actually averaged 300 minutes per week walking compared to 168 minutes for people without dogs.

Beyond prompting us to exercise, pets also affect our desire to succeed because of parental pride.  Most owners consider their pets to be members of the family and when the pet loses weight as well, it is a double accomplishment.

Before you rush out to buy a track suit for your four-legged buddy, there are a few considerations to make sure everyone stays healthy and safe.

First, like you, your pet may not be ready for the Mini-Marathon.  Increase the amount of time spent walking gradually.   Some overweight dogs might begin with simply walking to the end of the block and then gradually work up to longer distances.

It’s also important to realize that your pet will be very excited and not know to take it easy.   Every spring, veterinarians see dogs with torn knee ligaments, painful hips, and other over- exertion injuries.   Learn your pet’s limits and help him build strength and stamina. Even if your pet is not overweight, strenuous exercise can debilitate any pet not used to the routine

Not all pets are equally suited to the same workout routine.   (I will never be a mountain biker…)  Although all dogs will benefit from daily walks, many breeds won’t make good running partners.    Be sure to tailor your exercise plan to your dog’s physical and athletic abilities.

Get your pup a good physical exam before starting any weight loss or exercise program. Your veterinarian can help you find the right rate of weight loss for your pet and will have additional ideas on exercise routines and proper diets.

If you ever need a reason to run with your dog, now you have one:  it’s good for you!

Happy running through the holidays!

Liz Devitt, DVM

Consumer  spending for  family or friends  is still cautious  but 52 percent of pet owners plan to purchase a gift for their pet.  That’s good news for Fido.

Need gift ideas for your active dog?

How about a reflective  collar for the short days (but still-long walks!) of winter?  Try a Nightlife leash and collar from Ollydog.com or a glow lite collar from FiveStarFido.com.

Stuff your dog’s stocking with PowerBones from Zukes.com.  These tasty, easy-to-digest treats are perfect during long walks and after fast runs.

If you won’t share your bed with the dog (or there’s just not enough room for everyone to stretch out…) get your pup a warm bed for the cold winter nights.  Lots of pet catalogs stock these products.  Look for a bed that doesn’t need an electrical cord (chewable/flammable) like Thermo-beds from Fetch.com.

Got snow and ice?  Consider footwear for Fido that keeps the snow from wadding up between his toes and road salt from sticking to his fur.  Check out Therapaws.com or Ruffwear.com for paw protection options.

Maybe your pup wants a pedicure, but doesn’t know how to ask for it? Keeping your dog’s nails short will prevent painful nail tears and help your dog have a healthy gait.  Call your local groomer or veterinary clinic for a nail trim appointment.

Always on the go?  Get a Squishy Dog Bowl from guyotdesigns.com.  Just roll the bowl into a wad, stuff it in your pocket, and pull it out when you need it.  The bowls come in cool colors, too!

Give your dog a lifelong gift: sign up  for a pet first aid and CPR class at your local American Red Cross.   41 percent of pet owners surveyed by Petside.com reported that they have experienced at least one pet safety emergency that required an emergency trip to a vet.  You never know when an accident will happen.  Be prepared. 

I hope you enjoy your holiday shopping! 

Liz Devitt, DVM

Lots of people run with music in their ears, and recent studies show that moving to the rhythm of the beat can improve motivation and produce better fitness results. 

In people,  studies have shown that music can have profound effects on the mind and body: the right melody can enhance memory, soothe anxiety, and increase metabolism; the wrong rhthym can have ill effects.   “The Mozart Effect” was the term coined by Dr. Alfred A. Tomatis to describe the soothing and healing effects that resulted from listening to classical music.

It stands to reason that our dogs- with more sensitive senses than ours- can also be affected by their sound environment.

A study of sound

When a veterinary neurologist  teamed up with a psychoacoustic specialist and a concert pianist to study the effect of sound on canine ears, they discovered that slow music with simple melodies can reduce anxiety in dogs.  The work of these experts is chronicled in Through A Dog’s Ear:  Using Sound to Improve the Health & Behavior of Your Canine Companion. 

Noise pollution?

Dr. Wagner, the veterinary neurologist from The Ohio State School of Veterinary Medicine, recommends that we listen to, and list, the noises our dog hears in the home on a daily basis.   If your list includes a lot of high level, background noise, then your pup may benefit from a reduction in overall sound.  Like the rest of us, dogs are more at ease when their sensory systems aren’t constantly bombarded with input.  

Could your pup benefit from mood music?

Try it and see! 

Consider these recordings:

Canine Lullabies: Heartbeat Music Therapy by Terry Woodford

While You Were Gone:  Music Pets Love by Bradley Joup

Relaxation Music for Dogs and Cats by Janet Marlow

Through A Dog’s Ear: Music to Calm Your Canine Companion by Joshua Leeds and Lisa Spector

Enjoy your peaceful pet!

Liz Devitt, DVM

Too young?

Young dogs don’t have fully developed bones, and the concussive force of running on hard surfaces for long distances may have ill effects on their developing  joints.   As a veterinarian, I worry about placing too much stress on puppy knees and hips too soon.  The problem is, no one has done any studies to determine a “safe” time to start ramping up with running.

It gets even harder to choose a good starting age when you take into account the diffferent rates at which dogs reach maturity.  There ARE studies that show that yorkies have finished bone growth- or have closed their growth plates- by five months of age.  Great Danes don’t finish bone growth until eighteen months, even though they continue to fill out for at least another six months after that!  Generally, the smaller the breed, the faster they reach maturity in terms of bone development.

Just because bones are done growing doesn’t mean a pup’s  ligaments are ready for a regular run schedule.  No one has studied the effect of “organized exercise” – on a leash and running beside the owner-  on developing ligaments, either.

How can you help your pup run off all that energy when he isn’t  ready to run with you, yet?

Plenty of play time is clearly in order.   Encourage chasing and fetching on soft surfaces as long as you both hold up!  Get your pup ready for the day he’ll be ready to start running beside you by getting him socialized with other dogs, teaching him good leash manners or how to wear a harness, and working on verbal commands.

Check with your veterinarian to determine when your pup has growth plate closure and enough joint maturity to hit the road with you.

Too old?

Exercise helps all of us age more gracefully. The key is to do enough to enhance mobility and not so much that we get run down and injured.  The same is true for your dog.

If your senior runner has a touch of arthritis, start your runs with a warm up walk.  Adjust your work out distance to end before your dog scuffs his toes or limps on that rear leg.

Consult with your veterinarian and find out if there is a particular diet or supplement that might increase your older dog’s agility.   Laser therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, and massage have all been shown to improve joint function.   It works for us…it can help your hound.

Prescription anti-inflammatories may also be in order.  That’s a decision you’ll make with your dog’s doctor.  (Remember:  MOTRIN, Ibuprofen, and many other human anti-inflammatories can be extremely toxic to your dog.  Even regular aspirin can cause stomach ulcers in dogs.  Please don’t use medication for your pet before you check with your vet).

Enjoying the “middle years”?

Make the most of them!   Your dog will love the time he gets to spend on the run with you.   Make sure he maintains good coat and body condition, shows no lameness or pain after each run,  and always looks ready for the next outing.

Dogs are great, at every age!

Liz Devitt, DVM